Today on Oldest Olympians, we are finalizing our review of those Olympians who were last known living in 2014, which is down to six, as we solved one case in the interim. We also have two updates from earlier posts in this series. First, British track athlete Bob Shaw, born December 27, 1932, was still alive at the beginning of 2026. Meanwhile, Danish modern pentathlete Benny Schmidt, born June 25, 1929, was still alive at the beginning of 2025, but died later in the year, on June 6, at the age of 95.

To begin, we have Romanian cross-country skier Elena Zangor, born June 19, 1933. Zangor represented her country in the 3×5 kilometers relay at the 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Games, in which the Romanian team was disqualified. We were able to locate a lengthy interview with her from 2014, but since then have seen no updates.

(Mitsuyuki Funamizu, pictured at Getty Images)

Next we have Japanese fencer Mitsuyuki Funamizu, born September 7, 1933. Funamizu represented his country in six events across two editions of the Games, 1960 and 1964, and was a reserve in a seventh. He was a multiple national champion and we have evidence of his being alive in 2014, but nothing after that.

Then we have British track athlete John Metcalf, born February 25, 1934. Metcalf represented his country in the 400 metres hurdles at the 1960 Rome Games, and was also a reserve with the 4×400 metres relay. He also competed at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, but retired from sport in 1961. He was still alive and living in Richmond, North Yorkshire in 2014, but we have no further information beyond that.

We then have Irish equestrian Diana Willson, born March 12, 1934. Willson represented her country in the eventing tournament at the 1968 Mexico City Games, where she was 26^th individually. We know that she was alive and living in England as of 2014, and while we believe her to still be alive as of 2025, we have not been able to locate any concrete proof.

Second to last is French ski jumper Robert Rey, born March 25, 1934. Rey represented his country in the large hill at the 1960 Squaw Valley Games, where he placed 38^th. Rey and his older brother Régis, also an Olympic ski jumper, were photographed at an event in 2014, and while Régis has since died, we have not seen an update on Robert since that photo, although he is not listed in the French death index and thus is likely still alive.

Finally, we have Thai athlete Pongummart Ummarttayakul, born April 14, 1934. Ummarttayakul represented his country in two track events at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and was a reserve in a third. He was later a high-ranking figure in the Royal Thai Police, and was still alive in 2014, but we have not seen any updates since then.

That covers all of those Olympians who were last known living in 2014! We hope that you will join us next time for a new topic!

Today on Oldest Olympians we have three milestone birthdays to celebrate so, for the first time in 2026, we are going to cover them all instead of choosing between them!

First, Yehuda Gafni is turning 96 as the oldest living Israeli Olympian! Gafni represented his country in the basketball tournament at the 1952 Helsinki Games, where Israel was eliminated in the qualification round. He also competed at the 1953 European and 1954 World Championships, and won domestic league titles in 1954, 1955, and 1957. He then moved to the United States and now lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

Next, we are wishing José Julio Barillas a happy 94^th birthday as the oldest living Guatemalan Olympian! Barillas represented his country in the 100 and 200 metre dashes at the 1952 Helsinki Games, where he was eliminated in the first rounds of both events, and was also entered in the long jump, but did not start. By career he was a soccer player and physical education teacher, but later moved to New York and became active in the Guatemalan community while running a funeral home. He now resides in Ozone Park.

Additionally, we want to wish a happy 93^rd birthday to Héctor Román, the oldest living Puerto Rican Olympian! Román represented his country in the decathlon at the 1952 Helsinki Games, where he placed 20^th. He was also entered into the triple jump and the 4×400 metres relay, but did not start. He had more success at the Central American and Caribbean Games, winning silver in the pentathlon in both 1954 and 1959.

(Ben Nighthorse Campbell)

Finally, Oldest Olympians is saddened to learn that American judoka Ben Nighthorse Campbell, born April 13, 1933, died December 30 at the age of 92. Campbell represented his country in the open class tournament at the 1964 Tokyo Games, where he placed sixth. He had won gold in that even at the 1963 Pan American Games, and he later became a two-term United States senator from Colorado. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living Olympic judoka, a distinction now held by France’s André Bourreau, born December 3, 1934, who took part in the lightweight event at those same Games.

Oldest Olympians is saddened to learn of the recent deaths of two French titleholders, the first of which is fencer Daniel Dagallier, born June 11, 1926, who died December 2 at the age of 99. In addition to his team bronze medal from the 1956 Summer Olympics, Dagallier won five team medals – one gold and two each of silver and bronze – in the event at the World Championships between 1951 and 1958, and also took gold at the 1955 Mediterranean Games. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living Olympic fencing medalist and the oldest living French Olympic medalist overall.

The oldest living Olympic fencing medalist is now Michael Howard, born December 24, 1928. Howard represented Great Britain at three editions of the Games, 1956-1964, and took silver with the épée team in 1960. He was a bronze medalist in that event at the 1957 World Championships and twice British Empire and Commonwealth Games champion, in 1958 and 1962.

(Jean Laudet, pictured in the center at Histoire du Canoë)

The title of oldest living French Olympic medalist then went to Jean Laudet, born August 5, 1930, who was already the oldest living French Olympic champion and Olympic canoeing medalist. Laudet represented his country in the C-2 10,000 metres event at the 1952 Helsinki Games, alongside Georges Turlier (another of the oldest Olympians), and took home the gold medal. He later worked as an antiquarian.

(Georges Turlier)

Unfortunately, Laudet died December 20 at the age of 95, which again changed the titles. The new oldest French Olympic medalist is Jacqueline Du Bief, born December 4, 1930, who took bronze in the women’s singles figure skating event at the 1952 Oslo Games. The new oldest living French Olympic and Olympic canoeing champion, meanwhile, is Laudet’s partner Georges Turlier, born July 16, 1931.

Today Oldest Olympians has the same three milestone birthdays to celebrate as last year, and thus we have even more reason than usual to discuss them all in a single blog post!

(Ernesto Sastre, pictured at El Magazín Cultural)

First, we are wishing fencer Ernesto Sastre a happy 99^th birthday! Sastre represented Colombia in three events at the 1964 Tokyo Games, the individual and team épée, as well as the team foil, but was eliminated in the first round of each of them. He had better luck at the Central American and Caribbean Games, winning bronze and gold with the épée team in 1962 and 1966 respectively. Sastre is the oldest living Colombian Olympian, as well as the oldest survivor of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Next, we are wishing Canadian bobsledder Peter Kirby a happy 94^rd birthday! Kirby represented Canada in two events at the 1964 Innsbruck Games, coming in fourth in the two-man, but winning gold in the four-man. Originally a skier, he also won a gold medal at the 1965 World Championships and, by career, was a geologist and businessman. He is now the oldest living Olympic bobsleigh medalist.

Finally, we are wishing a happy 96^th birthday to Walter Neville Howell, the oldest living Australian Olympic medalist and Olympic rowing medalist! Howell represented his country in rowing’s eights event at the 1956 Melbourne Games, where he won a bronze medal. He captured gold in that event at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games and also competed in the coxed pairs at the 1960 Rome Olympics, but was eliminated in the round one repêchage.

Last year on this day, we celebrated the 100^th birthday of Tong Suet-Fong, who represented Chinese Taipei in the basketball tournament at the 1956 Melbourne Games, as the oldest living Taiwanese Olympian. Having done additional research, however, and having not seen any 100^th birthday announcements, we have concluded that he was most likely born in 1932 and is thus “only” 93 today. As such, we have updated our tables and this makes him no longer the oldest living Taiwanese Olympian.

(Cheng Chi-Sen)

That distinction possibly goes to Chen An-hu, born December 31, 1924, who was already the oldest living Olympic sport shooter. As we have not seen a 100^th birthday notification for him, however, we are applying our policy a little early and removing him from our tables until and unless we find confirmation that he is still alive. That leaves us with Cheng Chi-Sen, born July 13, 1926, as both the oldest living competitor from Chinese Taipei and the oldest living Olympic sport shooter. Cheng represented his country in the free pistol, 50 metres event at the 1968 Mexico City Games, where he placed 56^th. A police officer by career, he competed at the 1966 Asian Games and later moved to San Francisco, where he ran a catering business. He is also the oldest survivor of the 1968 Summer Olympics.

(Rosemarie Sparrow)

Finally, in other Olympic centenarian news, we are saddened to learn that British alpine skier Rosemarie Sparrow, born July 6, 1925, died October 13 at the age of 100. Sparrow represented her country in two alpine skiing events in 1948, placing 25th in the combined and 30th in the downhill. At the time of her death, she was the oldest living British Olympian and survivor of the 1948 St. Moritz Games. The former title now goes to Tony Purssell, born July 5, 1926, who represented his country in coxed fours rowing at the 1948 London Games. The oldest living survivor of the 1948 St. Moritz Olympics, meanwhile, is Egon Schöpf, born October 16, 1925, who represented Austria in two events at those Games, as well as an additional one in 1952.

Today, Oldest Olympians has the same two milestone birthdays to celebrate as it did last year so, rather than choose between them, we are going to feature both in a single blog entry!

First, Australian cross-country skier Richard Walpole is turning 98! Walpole represented his country in the 15 kilometer event at the 1960 Squaw Valley Games, finishing 51st. Both during and after his active career, he coached for his Myrtleford Ski Club, and he is now the oldest survivor of the 1960 Winter Olympics.

We are also wishing a happy 95^th birthday to fencer Jan Boutmy, the oldest living Olympian to have represented the Netherlands Antilles! Boutmy took part in the individual sabre tournaments at the 1964 and 1968 Summer Olympics, but was eliminated in the first round both times. He had much more success at the Central American and Caribbean Games, winning eleven medals between 1946 and 1970, including six golds. He later served as an international judge and coach.

Oldest Olympians is saddened to learn that British speed skater Henry Howes, born October 11, 1928, died in September at the age of 96. Howes represented his country in four events at the 1948 St. Moritz Games, with a best finish of 18^th in the 1500 metres. Domestically, he won four British titles between 1946 and 1949, but then retired from active competition.

(Henry Howes, pictured at Getty Images)

At the time of his death, Howes was the oldest living Olympic speed skater. That distinction now goes to Kim Jong-Sun, born January 23, 1931. Kim represented South Korea in three events at the 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Games, with a best finish of 30^th in the 10,000 metres. An injury ended his career the following year, but he later served as an administrator with the Korean Ice Skating Federation before moving to Los Angeles in 1992.

On the subject of South Korea, we also wanted to raise an Olympic mystery, that of Lee Sang-cheol, born November 1, 1935. Lee represented his country in the marathon at the 1960 Rome Games, where he placed 47^th. We were able to locate the October 2018 obituary of an individual by this name who was chairman of the Korean Athletics Federation, which seems likely to be him, but as the notice does not mention Olympic participation, or even an age, we cannot be certain.

For the second time in less than a month, Oldest Olympians is saddened to learn of the death of the oldest living Olympic champion: Nikita Simonyan, born October 12, 1926, died November 23 at the age of 99. Simonyan represented the Soviet Union in the football tournament at the 1956 Melbourne Games, where he won a gold medal. He also competed at the 1958 World Cup and won the top league title four times, as well as the Soviet Cup twice. He later became a successful coach domestically and for the national team.

The oldest living Olympic champion is now Gábor Benedek, born March 23, 1927. After serving in World War II, Benedek made his Olympic debut at the 1952 Helsinki Games, where he won a silver medal in the individual event and, with the help of his countrymen, gold in the team tournament. He made a second appearance in 1956, where Hungary missed the podium in fourth and, individually, Benedek was sixth. He was also an individual World Champion in 1953 and a winner with the Hungarian team in 1954. For political reasons, he was banned from competing after 1959 and thus he took up coaching. He later emigrated to West Germany, where he remained until the end of the Cold War.

(Rudolf Plyukfelder)

At the time of his death, Simonyan was also the oldest living Soviet Olympic champion and Olympic footballer. The former title now goes to Rudolf Plyukfelder, born September 6, 1928, who won a gold medal in the light-heavyweight weightlifting tournament at the 1964 Tokyo Games. For football, the oldest living player overall is now Léon Letsch, born May 23, 1927, who represented Luxembourg in the tournament at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. The oldest living football medalist, however, is Petar Radenković, born October 1, 1934, who took silver with Yugoslavia in the tournament at the 1956 Melbourne Games. The oldest Olympic champion in football, meanwhile, is Željko Matuš, born August 9, 1935, who also represented Yugoslavia, but did so in 1960.

Because we were unable to post an update yesterday, and because on that day we had two milestone birthdays, we have decided to post a blog entry covering three updates! First, we are wishing a happy belated 97^th birthday to Tom Gayford, the oldest living Canadian Olympic champion and Olympic champion in equestrian! Gayford represented Canada in the three-day event at the 1952 and 1960 Summer Olympics without reaching the podium. In 1968 in Mexico City, however, he switched to jumping and won the gold medal with the Canadian team. He also won three medals at the Pan American Games and gold at the 1971 World Championships. He later became an equestrian coach and judge, and also designed the jumping course for the 1976 Montreal Games.

Next, we are wishing a happy 93^rd birthday to Jakobína Jakobsdóttir, the oldest living Icelandic Olympian! Jakobína represented her country in three alpine skiing events at the 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Games, where she was 31^st in the downhill, 41^st in the giant slalom, and disqualified in the slalom. She won a national title in 1953 and was still skiing earlier this year at the age of 92.

As for today, Oldest Olympians is saddened to learn that Australian rower Dave Anderson, born April 8, 1932, died November 5 at the age of 93. Anderson represented his country in the eights at the 1952 Helsinki Games, where he won a bronze medal. He was also eliminated in the semi-finals of the coxless fours at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. At the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, he captured gold in the coxed fours and bronze in the coxless pairs.

(Bob Shaw, pictured at Welsh Athletics)

Finally, we want to thank the reader who found evidence that British track athlete Bob Shaw, who we covered in our last post as having been last known alive in 2014, was still alive in 2019, and thus he will remain on our tables.

Today on Oldest Olympians, we are continuing to review those Olympians who were last known living in 2014. We were able to cross three names off of our original list, as we discovered all of them being alive within the past year, so that leaves us with 11 to cover. Today we are going to look at the four names born from 1930 through 1932.

Wilson Gomes – Member of Brazil’s track and field athletics delegation to the 1952 Helsinki Olympics

Wilson Gomes, born July 3, 1930, represented Brazil in the 400 metres hurdles at the 1952 Helsinki Games, where he was eliminated in the quarter-finals. He was also entered into the 110 metres hurdles and the 4×100 metres relay, but could not start due to an illness in his throat. One year earlier he had taken silver in the 400 metres hurdles at the Pan American Games, while at the 1955 edition he was the bronze medalist in that event. We had an update that he was still alive in 2014, but have heard nothing since then.

José Flores – Member of the Dutch Antilles’ weightlifting delegation to the 1960 Rome Olympics

José Flores, born December 22, 1930, represented the Netherlands Antilles in the middle-heavyweight weightlifting division at the 1960 Rome Games, where he placed 14^th. He was the silver medalist in that category at the 1963 Pan American Games, and set two world records in 1963-64. He was last confirmed living in 2014, but we have not seen any further updates.

(Gerry Ronan, pictured at the Toronto Public Library)

Gerry Ronan – Member of Canada’s field hockey team at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics

Gerry Ronan, born December 10, 1932, represented Canada in the field hockey tournament at the 1964 Tokyo Games, where his nation placed joint-13th out of 15 squads overall. He was still alive – and publishing a book – in 2014, but we have been unable to uncover anything further.

(Bob Shaw, pictured at Welsh Athletics)

Bob Shaw – Member of Great Britain’s track and field athletics delegation to the 1956 Melbourne Games

Bob Shaw, born December 27, 1932, represented Great Britain in the 400 metres hurdles at the 1956 Melbourne Games, where he was eliminated in round one. He represented Wales at two editions of the British Empire and Commonwealth Games – 1954 and 1958 – and won bronze in the 440 yards hurdles at the former edition. Our records have him listed as still alive in 2014, with no further details beyond that.

That is all for today, but we hope that you will join us next time as we continue to explore this topic!